Somerset CCC match reports plus occasional articles and poems

Memories. Greg Chappell and the elders.

Some memories of the format of the iconic John Player League in its first season and of the first match attended by the author. An Australian teenager by the name of Greg Chappell had been signed as Somerset’s overseas player.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to field.

2019 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the start of the John Player League, or as it was formally called in 1969, the John Player’s County League. Like T20 three and a half decades later the new competition was designed to attract a new audience. And perhaps re-attract an old one as County Championship match attendances fell through the 1960s and the Gillette Cup revealed an appetite for ‘limited overs cricket’ as it was called at the time.

Matches were strictly time-limited not just overs-limited. In T20 the full number of overs is bowled and penalty runs are awarded to the batting side for slow over rates by the bowling side. In the John Player League if the side bowling first did not bowl its allocation of 40 overs within the specified time the innings simply ended at the end of the over in which the time limit was reached. The side batting second would then have the same number of overs as the side batting first. A rule which curiously seemed to advantage the side which was dilatory in bowling its overs in that it was not their innings which was abruptly cut short. In practice it was not uncommon to have 39 or even occasionally 38 over matches.

To assist fielding sides in completing their overs within the specified time bowler’s run-ups were restricted to 15 yards. A white line was duly painted to mark the 15 yards.

The time limit ensured that matches, which in 1969 and for many years afterwards, were always played on a Sunday afternoon, were completed in the allotted time. One of the beneficiaries, and shades of T20 here too, was broadcasting. One match was always televised live in its entirety on BBC 2. Whether it was intentional or not the strict time limits meant broadcasting schedules were not disrupted.

Apart from the over limits other attempts were made to encourage attacking cricket. Two prize funds of £1000 each were divided proportionately. One among batsmen for each six scored. One among bowlers for each four wicket haul. Newspapers of the time would publish the six-hitting and wicket-taking ‘leagues’.

My first contact with the John Player’s County League was not at a ground or through watching a match live on television. To receive BBC 2 you had to have a set capable of receiving 625-line transmissions. We still had a 405-line set so no cricket. However, a friend’s family did have a 625-line set and the BBC used to broadcast a review programme of the day’s cricket scores later in the evening.

I used to go to my friend’s house to watch the review of the day’s matches. My recollection is that the programme concentrated as much on the size of the crowds, which were well in excess of Championship crowds, as on the cricket scores. That seemed to be an important consideration at the time.

I was drawn to my first actual match because Ray Windsor, a local big hitting club batsman who had scored runs for Somerset 2nd XI, was in the Somerset squad.

And so off a couple of friends and I set to the County Ground for our first Sunday League match. We became Somerset members for the day. There was no other way to get in if you were not already a member. It was illegal in 1969 for clubs to charge entry on a Sunday. Only club members could attend matches. However, it was legal to sell memberships on a Sunday and so the temporary membership which expired at the end of the day was born.

We found ourselves sitting on a wooden bench near the old scoreboard somewhere near the gap between where the Colin Atkinson Pavilion now stands and where the recently demolished Scoreboard Stand held sway for so many years. We sat in front of a group of cigar smoking spectators who had probably seen their first cricket when JC White and RC Robertson-Glasgow were in their heyday in the 1920s.

The opponents were Yorkshire who batted first. Some miserly Somerset bowling, especially from Brian Langford, JK Roberts and Greg Chappell, who between them bowled 24-6-50-5, ‘restricted’, to use the term of the time, Yorkshire to 132 for 7 from 40 overs. Greg Chappell, 19 years old only three days before and a revelation, took 3-14.

I remember nothing of the Yorkshire innings except a 20-year-old Chris Old looking the part and impressing the 1920s contingent with an innings of 22 having come in with Yorkshire at 70 for 5. My friends and I thought the Somerset bowlers had done pretty well. The 1920s ‘elders’ thought otherwise. “Too many for Somerset,” said one to knowing grunts of agreement.

The assessment was not an unrealistic one for Somerset won just five and lost ten of their 16 matches that season and finished 16th of the then 17 counties.

When Tony Clarkson was out to Richard Hutton for one and Somerset were 6 for 1 our youthful enthusiasm bowed to our elders’ experience. Fortunately for Somerset, Greg Chappell’s youthful enthusiasm and talent did not. Neither did Roy Virgin’s elder’s experience. A partnership began to develop, as the newspaper reports of old used to say, and my friends and I dared hope.

We hoped for two things. For Somerset to win and for enough wickets to fall for Ray Windsor, down to come in at five, to get a bat. But, of course, cricket only works like that in the mind. Chappell and Virgin began to forge a different reality. Chappell raised the spirits, the expectations and the tension with an exhibition of attacking batting which belied his years. Virgin kept an end tight, and Ray Windsor from the wicket, whilst keeping his own score moving neatly along. Between them they grew the hope that Somerset might actually win.

As the Somerset score mounted and accelerated the hope began to promise reality and the tension began to ease. My friends and I felt secure enough to leave our seats and go on an expedition to the beer tent which, as far as I can place it, used to reside where the Ondaatje Pavilion now stands or just to the front of it. The knowledge of what we bought must remain between me and the barman. I doubt anyone noticed, for as we queued the sky suddenly seemed to rain sixes which flew in the direction of the beer tent. Greg Chappell the man responsible for the barrage as he added to his share of the prize fund.

Now, I am sure the sky did not rain sixes. I imagine there were actually one or two, perhaps three and a few one bounce fours but the memory, like an impressionist artist, emphasises the thing which most makes an impact at the time. Chappell had made the match Somerset’s and the team romped home by nine wickets with over 12 overs to spare. Chappell’s hitting and the overly pessimistic view of the ‘elders’ are the impressions that have stuck.

Ray Windsor of course did not get a bat but I have as compensation embedded deep in my memory a package of glimpses and a sense in my mind of a young Greg Chappell in full flow which has lasted a lifetime.

Postscript:

Another such image, from another Sunday afternoon earlier in that summer, is of a television screen with 625 lines in a lounge many miles from home. The family had been visiting the scene of the start of my first exile. Whilst accommodation arrangements were discussed elsewhere I found myself in the presence of that 625-line television. On the screen Greg Chappell, then only 18, was scoring the first ever Sunday League century, Roy Virgin was keeping an end tight and Tony Clarkson had been out for 0. The match was at Brislington and Somerset beat Surrey by nine wickets.

Within days of my watching the Yorkshire match the family’s accommodation arrangements were taken up and I had embarked on my first exile. I was to spend 42 of the next 47 years living through four exiles all of them more than 200 miles from the County Ground. It was a good match to take with me as a memory.

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‘Farmer White’ Somerset Cricket Writing

The purpose of this website is to provide a location where the collected cricket writing of ‘Farmer White’, most of which is published on diverse ‘threads’ on grockles.com, an independent Somerset cricket website, can be accessed and read in one location.

The posts which appear on this site have been edited to remove some errors and some repetition which can occur especially when a post, as most were, were written at pace immediately after a match and well into the early hours of the morning.

For the same reason the flow of the original text has been improved in some places and occasionally re-ordered. However the substance and style of the original posts remain unaltered. The original posts are still available on grockles.com.

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‘Farmer White’ will continue to post future match reports on grockles.com as well as on this site.

In addition to reporting on the cricket ‘Farmer White’ reports may contain opinion and try to reflect the atmosphere of the match. ‘Farmer White’ also writes about the experience of being a Somerset supporter whether at a match or not.

In addition to match reports the site contains articles and poems related to Somerset cricket all written by ‘Farmer White’. Further examples are added from time to time.

Match reports on every day of Championship cricket in 2018 are now in place. August.

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‘Farmer White’

17th March 2019

‘Farmer White’

‘Farmer White’, the author of this site, was brought up on the story of one of Somerset’s greatest cricketers, JC ‘Farmer’ White; of how his slow left arm bowling was the epitome of accuracy and that he captained England.

An indelible impression was made and, as indelible impressions do, it has remained with him.

When, at the end of the 2016 season, he began to post reports and occasional articles and poems on threads on grockles.com and needed a posting name ‘Farmer White’ was the natural choice.

JC ‘Farmer’ White 1891-1961

JC ‘Jack’ or ‘Farmer’ White played for Somerset CCC from 1907-37. He captained the side from 1927-31.

He remains the County’s leading First Class wicket taker with 2167 at an average of 18.02. He took 100 First Class wickets in a season 14 times.

With the bat he scored six centuries and scored 1000 runs in a season twice.

He took 381 catches.

He played in 15 Tests for England and captained England four times.

In the 1928-9 Ashes series he was England’s top wicket taker with 25.

In the Adelaide Test he took 13 for 256 in 124.5 overs and England won by 12 runs.

‘FARMER WHITE’ ON CRICKET

To locate the post in which a quote appears click the post title located immediately beneath the quote.

“And then, as at the end of the last match of every season, there was the reluctance of many to leave their seats as they watched, across an empty outfield, the memories of the season past. Better memories for Somerset supporters than for Nottinghamshire ones this year.”Notts v Som CC1 Day 3 26th Sep 2018“Winter well”

“Those modes of dismissal summed up the different characters of the bowling of Overton and Gregory. The one seemingly forcing his way through defences to snatch wickets. The other quietly purloining them from unwary batsmen.”Notts v Som CC1 Day 2 25th Sep 2018Business end

“This was Hildreth at his glorious, apparently carefree, but doubtless intensely focused best. As the clouds gathered in they might have been the chariots of gods come to see who was creating such perfection in the imperfect world below.”Notts v Som CC1 Day 1 24th Sep 2018Of genius and the sublime

“Somerset 4 for 2. And then Hildreth. Hildreth did what Hildreth does. An on driven boundary of perfection off his first ball.”
Som v Surrey CC1 Day 3 20 Sep 2018Fighting hard

“They be too good for we,” the comment from across the aisle. There was perhaps more truth in that than even the speaker, who I find to be perceptively knowledgeable about cricket, realised.”
Som v Surrey CC1 Day 2 19 Sep 2018Somerset under the weather

“Somerset in the field were exemplified by Abell at cover. I lost count of the number of times a ball flew off the bat with ‘four’ written all over it only to find itself snared by Abell’s electrifying dives.”Som v Surrey CC1 Day 1 18 Sep 2018Surrey on the road

“If momentum means anything we have a chance,” someone said, and Somerset had picked up momentum at the end of the Sussex innings as fast as the Bungee Blast was shooting people into the air. Whether Somerset could turn the match on its head as the bungee did its rotating victims was another matter.”
Som v Sussex T20 SF 15 Sep 2018 All Wright on the night

“When you are at a match and a Test-class fast bowler gets it right at pace and settles into a wicket-taking rhythm in helpful conditions on a helpful pitch it is as if a force of nature has been unleashed on the batsmen.”
Hants v Som CC1 Day 2 11 Sep 2018A test of class

“On the way back to the car my white wyvern hat attracted another Somerset supporter. It does that. “38 for 3 the last I heard,” he said, “What is going on?” “It’s worse than that,” I replied, “we were 72 for 5 at Lunch.” It was worse than that. “Not us. Them,” he replied. “They are 38 for 3. We were 106 all out.”
Hants v Som CC1 Day 1 10 Sep 2018Seam from a distance

“I don’t know how much apprehension a human being is supplied with at birth but I have used up enough to fill one of those super tankers that are so difficult to to turn around just watching Somerset.”
Som v Lancs CC1 Day 2 5 Sep 2018Four days tied up in two

“After Lunch, Leach got to work. He started to pick away at the batsmen like an examiner picks away at students who have not done their revision.”
Som v Lancs CC1 Day 1 4 Sep 201822 wickets and 298 runs in Stygian Gloom

“To see one Overton in full flow is a sight worth the seeing. To see both in full flow and in tandem is a sight to treasure.”Yorks v Som CC1 Day 4 1 Sep 2018Yorkshire outpaced

“The Yorkshire crowd cannot be faulted for its impartiality when judging the cricket. Even a loud lbw appeal against Hildreth playing well forward met with the response, “No. Thee can’t gi’ that. He’s too far forrard.”Yorks v Som CC1 Day 3 31 Aug 2018Perfect day

“The comments of opposition supporters, as a match unfolds, sit on the opposite end of the emotional seesaw to where your own feelings sit. At Headingley the frequency of the comments keeps the seesaw constantly in motion.”
Yorks v Som CC1 Day 2 30 Aug 2018Not too bad a day

“The gentlest of gentle bat movements produced rocket like power in the ball as it skimmed the outfield and crossed the boundary directly in front of me. “Just look at that,” another Yorkshire voice drooled.”
Yorks v Som CC1 Day 1 29 Aug 2018Cavalcade

“It was as if the Gillette Cup had passed through a time warp and come to visit. The atmosphere had the feel of those days again. And the match had the feel of the great cup runs of the 70s and 80s.”
Som v Notts T20 QF 27 Aug 2018Gregory’s game

“This was a significant victory not just in the context of this season but in marking the continuing development of what has the potential to become one of the all-time great Somerset teams, perhaps, just perhaps, the greatest of them all.”
Som v Essex CC1 Day 4 22 Aug 2018A match for the ages

“The Essex horse was loose in the paddock with no-one apparently able to close the gate other than Leach and it is too big a job for one man.”
Som v Essex CC1 Day 3 21 Aug 2018Of stable doors

“Davey has emerged as a genuine front line bowler to be reckoned with this season. No longer a man dependent on April green tops for his wickets. The ball with which he bowled Westley was as good as any you will see.”
Som v Essex CC1 Day 2 20 Aug 2018Bowled over

“The talk at the back of the Somerset Pavilion (elevated) was of Peter Wight. Of Peter Wight and Fred Trueman. Of the day in 1962 when Fred Trueman arrived late for the Championship match at Taunton and was sent home by the Yorkshire captain for his pains.”Som v Essex CC1 Day 1 19 Aug 20181962 all over again

“As I left after the match I spoke to a couple who might have watched Somerset in the 1950s and probably did. Neither of them had ever watched T20 before. “A great match,” they said, “and the fielding is a level above.”
Sur’y v Som T20 S Group 10 Aug 2018A stellar match

“Van de Merwe examined the batsmen with the accuracy of a dentist probing with a drill. He imposed the same disinclination to make any rash movements on the batsmen as a dentist does on a patient.”
Hants v Som T20 S Group 8 Aug 2018A Rye look at the cricket

“The light relented and after Tea out into this frozen wasteland the rules of cricket demanded the players return.”
Som v Yorks CC1 Day 2 29 Apr 2018Somerset’s Arctic expedition

” There is no need to use superlatives because it was a superlative innings full of its own superlatives.”
Som v Yorks CC1 Day 1 28 Apr 2018A century for lunch

I remember watching Basil D’Oliviera play and not just at the end of his career. Now I was watching his grandson. ‘Fugit inreparabile tempus’ as Virgil had it. ‘It escapes, irretrievable time” as the all-knowing internet translates it.”
Som v Worcs CC1 Day 3 22 Apr 2018 At last

“One of the things about catching up on 43 years while trying to watch the cricket is you miss the odd thing. Sometimes you miss a year, sometimes you miss a wicket. I missed Abell’s.”
Som v Worcs CC1 Day2 21 Apr 2018Hildreth takes it away

“The first day of Somerset’s 2018 season. It started disastrously. The patisserie on Paddington Station where I used to start my journeys to Taunton during the years of my eastern exile had gone.”
Som v Worcs CC1 Day 1 20 Apr 2018Renshaw drives hard